A prospective study to evaluate the association between the functional index of persons with spinal cord injury and the burden of care

Purpose: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a complex event and causes biopsychosocial changes influencing the health and quality of life (QOL) of the patient and his/her family caregiver providing care at home. The current study aims to investigate the association between caregiver burden (CB) and patient-related factors in individuals with SCI. Methods: A cross-sectional study on 50 SCI patients and their primary caregivers was conducted. SCIM III and SCS were used to collect information on functional status. Primary caregiver filled CB scale, SF-36, and 4DSQ (Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire). Results: The mean CB was found to be 36.64 ± 16.43. CB was significantly associated with ASIA grading (p value <0.001), financial strain (p value, 0.001), education level (p value <0.004), and age and independence (p value <0.001). The QOL and psychological factors of caregivers were associated with CB. All the domains of SF-36 and 4DSQ were significantly (p value <0.001) associated with caregivers’ burden. Conclusion: CB was significantly associated with the SCI patient-related factors, and perceived burden impacted the QOL and mental health of the caregivers. Higher CB was associated with poor QOL and the presence of symptoms like distress, anxiety, depression, and somatization among caregivers.